This invention is a portable system for supporting volleyball net the like.
Prior art that I know of includes the following U.S. patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,780xe2x80x94Fry and U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,344xe2x80x94Eberhard appear to be the most relevant of these. They both disclose portable net systems, removably xe2x80x9cimplantablexe2x80x9d, with spring means to tension the net.
In summary, this invention is a net system for volleyball, badminton, and the like. It includes first and second piers and a net with top and bottom supporting cables extending between the piers. The piers each include a base, net pole, and net tensioning spring. The bases each include longitudinal and lateral platform members, and a ground anchor. Each net pole is removably attached to its base and extends up from it. The net tensioning springs are cantilevered leaf springs, each removably attached to its base and extending up and away from its net pole. The net supporting cables pass through the net poles for attachment to the springs. The springs are flexible toward and away from their net poles in the plane of the net.